Beach Homes

SHORE THING A MILLION-DOLLAR VIEW, A UNIQUE DESIGN AND IT’S ALL ON AN ISLAND JUST 35 MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN AUCKLAND. THIS PLACE WAS NEVER GOING TO BE ANYTHING SHORT OF SPECTACULAR.

Have you ever found yourself looking through magazines full of beautiful homes and wished that you could transport yourself there, to sit on that deck, look at that view, or sleep in that bed – even for a single night? Here’s a place where you can do just that. Located on a headland on Waiheke Island, a 35-minute boat ride from downtown Auckland, ‘The Boatshed’ is a luxury holiday retreat complete with beautiful accommodation, an amazing outlook and a promise that you’ll be able to catch up on ‘me time’. Trust us, you’ll want to stay longer than a night. Twenty years ago, owner/designer David Scott bought the land that The Boatshed is built on, and spent the next 15 years pondering the magnifi cent view, trying to decide how to make the most of it. “I would quite literally sit on the grass and think, ‘This is where the kitchen will be and this will be the view’,” says David. Despite the fact that the concept of exclusive lodge-style accommodation was virtually non-existent in New Zealand at the time, David knew he wanted to build a very special place where people could come and stay. “What I had in mind was just a vague idea at fi rst. I’ve always loved the fact that New Zealand baches and holiday houses are an eclectic mixture of styles ranging from tiny 1930s cottages to ’70s and ’80s baches. It’s very Kiwi, very unstructured and almost unfi nished, and I’ve always liked that authenticity.”

David took time to develop his idea and, while he was at it, international interest in New Zealand as a luxury destination grew and the market for exclusive lodges took off. Involvement in a number of hospitality industry projects gave him the experience he needed to fi gure out what worked and what didn’t – something he used to his advantage when he began designing The Boatshed. “I wanted something that felt like it was part of a village, not something that drew attention to itself,” David says. “And I wanted a collection of buildings that mirrored how the neighbouring baches connected with the beach.”

At the same time, David became fascinated with boatsheds. “I knew that whatever I did, a boatshed design would be part of it. I also love lighthouses, so I wanted to build a tower with a circular staircase, and then I saw another space being something like the bridge on a ship with panoramic views and a big service and kitchen area on the ground fl oor.” If that sounds eclectic, it is. And it works beautifully. A row of ‘boatsheds’, each with their own private balcony and a sea view, extends out to one side of the design, while the three-storey lighthouse takes centre stage.

In line with his ideas, David knew right from the start that weatherboards were essential. “They’re so much a part of the New Zealand ‘bach’ look. And I wanted the tower to be board and batten with a plastered base reminiscent of water towers that are a traditional feature of so many Kiwi baches.” The big challenge was always going to be maintenance. “We’re only 50 metres back from the high tide mark and we face due north, so any timber would have been constantly shifting and maintenance would have been huge.” When David read that James Hardie fi bre-cement weatherboards were being used extensively on coastal properties in the US, he contacted James Hardie in New Zealand and learned about Linea® Weatherboards.

A completely inert product that won’t warp, rot or shift, Linea® Weatherboards are perfect for coastal locations. “That was it,” says David. “Everything just fell into place after that. The project had been conceived with longevity and quality in mind, so Linea was the obvious answer.” For the tower, David opted for Titan® Expressed Joint Panel Facade. Also perfect for seaside environments thanks to its durability, David cut the battens out of it as well. Both products hold their paintwork well, and in this instance, David created a colour scheme based on fi ve variations of the same colour. “I wanted to create a feeling that some of the buildings were older than others and I emphasised that through the colours I chose.

The boatsheds are painted the darkest shade – a warm sand colour – and all the other buildings are variations of that.” Indoors, David opted for HardiGroove® Lining. Using it on the ceilings and on the walls in the hallways at dado height, it provides an authentic tongue-and-groove fi nish and, painted white, is the perfect way to carry the beach-house atmosphere inside. And if you think the end result looks good on the page, why not take a look at the real thing? It’s the perfect way to conduct some research for your new home and have a wonderful weekend away at the same time

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SMART THINKING

Asking the architect to visit the original site: There’s nothing like
living on-site to get to know a property. Where does the sun rise
and set? Where is the most sheltered spot? Which view is best?
The owners of this new home had lived on the site part-time for the
last 20 years in a much-loved holiday home, so they knew exactly
what they loved about the property and what they wanted to
preserve. When it came time to brief their architect, they asked him
to spend some quality time at the original house before they tore
it down – that way he could experience the property’s best points
fi rst-hand. Showing rather than explaining is always more effective,
so ask your architect to be as ‘hands-on’ as possible when it comes
to devising the plans for your dream home or renovation